A charter flight carrying U.S. citizens fleeing Haiti’s escalating gang violence landed in Miami on Sunday, according to the State Department.
More than 30 U.S. citizens arrived aboard a charter flight that the State Department said Saturday it would provide from the beleaguered country’s northern city Cap-Haitien.
With Haiti’s main airport in Port-au-Prince closed down due to the raging violence, the State Department could not assist with transportation, telling U.S. citizens they were on their own when it came to getting to the northern coastal city. Only U.S. citizens were eligible to board, and they had to fill out a crisis intake form to apply.
“The overland trip from Port-au-Prince to Cap Haitien is dangerous,” the State Department said in a security alert. “We recommend you consider the Cap-Haitien flight only if you believe you can reach Cap-Haitien airport safely. We cannot provide overland travel from other parts of Haiti to Cap-Haitien. We continue to work on options for departures out of Port-au-Prince and will let you know about them as soon as we are able to safely and securely arrange them.”
The current wave of violence was sparked earlier this month when nearly all of the 4,000 prisoners incarcerated at the largest prison in Haiti escaped amid an attack by street gangs. The violence forced out Prime Minister Ariel Henry, who resigned under international pressure and declared a state of emergency.
The U.S. government previously airlifted nonessential personnel under cover of darkness as gangs took over the streets of Port-au-Prince.
“The security situation in Haiti is unpredictable and dangerous,” the State Department said in Saturday’s alert. “Travel within Haiti is conducted at your own risk.”
With News Wire Services
